Key Lime Pie

My grandmother learned this recipe when she worked at a hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida back in the 1960s. It’s a fairly easy, no-bake recipe, but it takes quite a bit of patience. The big trick is to not mix the lime juice into the sweetened condensed milk too fast, or it will curdle. However, the end result is well worth the effort.

INGREDIENTS

1 pre-baked graham cracker pie crust

1 8oz can of sweetened condensed milk

4 key limes (can substitute 1 lime and 1 lemon)

1 8oz carton of whipping cream

1 package of vanilla sugar (or a couple of crops of vanilla and 1 tblsp sugar).

DIRECTIONS

Squeeze the key limes (or the lime and lemon together). Add the sweetened condensed milk to a small rounded bowl (preferably a metallic or glass food prep bowl). Using a spatula very slowly fold the juice into the sweetened condensed milk (tip: add about 1-2 tbsp at a time and fold until smooth). Continue to do so until the sweetened condensed milk thickens to the point that you can form a small mound in the center of the bowl.

Add the mixture to the pie crust and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (overnight is recommended). Prior to serving whip the whipping cream and add the vanilla sugar half-way through the whipping process. Add the whipping cream on top of the mixture in the pie crust.